Hames of Murray County

John Hames, Revolutionary War Soldier, was born 28 April 1764 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, and died 9 October 1860 in Georgia. He was the son of Charles Haymes and his wife, Catherine (Krugg) Haymes. Charles Haymes died 19 January 1807 in Union County, South Carolina. John married (1) Martha Pierce on 17 August 1826 and (2) Charity Jasper. He served as a Major in the Revolutionary War and was buried in Murray County.

"Dust of Old Soldier of the Revolution. Remains of Major John Hames Brought to Marietta for Burial. The remains of John Hames, the Revolutionary soldier who was buried in Murray County in 1860, have been brought to Marietta and will be interred in the National Cemetery with appropriate ceremonies conducted by the Daughters of the Revolution....The grave of the soldier was in a very old cemetery in the wild woods and was marked by a piece of limestone. What was once a Hardshell Baptist Church stood near by. Messrs. Hames (W. J. M. Hames and D. C. Hames, his brother) were met by John Shannon, who made the coffin, and Henry Beemer, who dug the grave in which John Hames was buried. The coffin had been made some time before the old soldier died and it was found to be just as Mr. Shannon had described it. It was to have two nails. It was, therefore, dovetailed and the lid was put on with pegs. Parts of the coffin were brought to Marietta by Mr. Hames, together with the headstone. The grave gave up nothing but the dust and a few bones. John Hames, who was repurted to be 131 years old at the time of his death in 1860, is described as having been tall and straight--or as Mr. Shannon expressed it, like a long, dry weed from which the leaves had been blown by the winter winds. He entered the army of Washington as a private and came out a major. As has been stated in the Journal and Courier, he married a sister of Sergeant Jasper the daring Jasper, whose statue stands on Bull Street in Savannah. When John Hames first moved to Murray County the Indians were all through that section and dear and turkeys could be killed from his yard, while the streams abounded in fish. The fishing in that section is still good. The remains will rest in Black's undertaking establishment until the Daughters of the Revolution arrange for the ceremonies of the re-interment." The Marietta Journal and Courier dated 23 June 1911.